The Senate on Saturday unanimously approved HB724 by Rep. Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe, which also received unanimous House approval. The bill says students of any religion can ask school administrators to allow use of a classroom, assembly hall or available space for prayer or reflection.

A teacher or school administrator, parent or someone from the community may be invited to participate or supervise. After-school prayer events can be scheduled only if some school-related club is meeting.

Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge, acknowledged while handling the bill in the Senate that students currently can do what’s in the bill, but some are not aware of it or afraid to ask.

HB724, sponsored by state Rep. Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe, goes to the governor’s desk after being signed by legislature leadership.

State Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge and who handled HB724 for Senate debate, said many experts argue that one of the reasons for the challenges in many communities comes from an absence of moral guidance that allowing students to pray, on their own, may help.

"Government needs to stay separate from religion. That's the tradition of our country, that's served us well. We need to resist any efforts to get government where the family should be, where the individual should be, that's in religion. It's a family issue, it's an individual issue, it's not a government issue," said [local resident] Charles Kincade.

People that we spoke with that support house bill 724 say the kids should be allowed to pray because that doesn't take any rights away from those that don't want to pray.

"It's not forced on anybody, you know, its whoever wants prayer. I think it should be allowed in the schools, restaurants, wherever somebody wants to pray at," said [local resident] Lisa Henderson.